Biotech Values

[AlpineBV_Miller]

As near as I can tell, this is the first time a Medicare drug has created this much expense this close to the first prescription. Medicare does not provide for pre-approved reimbursements like private insurers do, so docs are in the dark as to whether they will get paid.

With other drugs of simlar therapy cost, the therapy is spaced out over months. For example, before it was generic Taxotere therapy and the associated supportive meds was comparably expensive. That expense was doled out every three weeks over 200+ days. If a doc prescribed Tax on day 0 and got a reimbursement denial on day 45, he was out a couple of doses.

IF a doc doses Provenge on day 0 and gets a reimbursement denial on day 45, then he's out the total cost or $93,000 plus his practice costs to administer.

This makes Provenge different, something we called "uniquely expensive" and Dendreon calls "cost density".